BBC BROADCAST WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 16th       (Terry Norwood at the desk)

A smattering of hors d’oeuvres before the smorgasbord:

1. Bowlers are reminded that the entry schedules for the Major Singles and the Major Pairs Championships are posted on the notice board awaiting your entry. Come on gents, get yourself dusted off and make your entry into these prestigious events.
2. The Mixed Pairs Championship continues this coming weekend with the staging of the quarter finals on Saturday and the semis on Sunday. There is sure to be some fine bowling on display for interested spectators. In one game, Jim Neely/Gail Fraser take on Lynne Boshier/Arnold Lenczuk while Alice Moore/Richard Denman play Helen Lees/Denis Lees and Ian Duncan/Elizabeth Shepherd face off against Gordon Lewis/ Sylvia Handley.
3. The Men’s Rookie Singles competition continued today Wednesday with the completion of the second round matches. Details can be found below.
4. Bowlers interested in improving their game are reminded that coach Robin Staples will be offering his ‘Taking The Next Step’ event soon. Details are on the notice board and is thoroughly recommended for anyone wishing to take on or brush up on some finer points of the game.
5. The annual Southern Highlands Cup between Robertson, Bundanoon and Bowral bowling clubs will be staged over three weekends in early December under a revised format. Each club will field two triples teams and two pairs, and each club will take turns at hosting games over the tournament. Should make for some great competition, so stay tuned.

Rookie Singles (25 up)

Wal Markow and Denis ‘rowdy’ Lees battled away on rink 11 on Wednesday afternoon in the first of the second round matches. Although he dropped a shot on the first end, Wal was soon in  fine form and by the ninth end held a commanding 13 – 2 lead. Denis cleared his head to take three shots on the tenth, but Wal kept him at bay by sharing singles through to the seventeenth end. Not completely out of things at seven down, Denis kept plugging away. However, a three shot haul to Wal on the twenty-first end set off the alarm bells, and spelt real danger for Denis. Denis then managed a couple of two shotters but Wal was too strong in the end taking the match 25 – 15.

Wal Markow on the mat, all style!

In the second of the Rookie Singles games, Ian ‘mr cool’ Duncan faced off against Russell Dunstan. Despite dropping singles on the first two ends, Russell swamped Ian with a four shotter on the third end to get himself well and truly on the card. Russell then continued to have the better of proceedings and pushed his lead to 11 – 3 at the eighth end. Ian won three of the next four ends to reduce the deficit to five, but he was still under pressure. And when Russell won five ends on the trot and led 21 – 8, Ian was really under the pump. However, Ian then dug deeply into  his determination, came up with top form and at the twenty-sixth end was only a shot down at 22 – 23! Wow, what a nail-biter! In a stunning last end, it was Russell who snaffled a four shotter and snatched victory.

Wednesday Social Bowls

In a triples game on rink 7, Shane Harvey (great to see you back Shane), Graham ‘leaning tower’ Hunt and Steven Goddard (back hale and healthy after having to endure a cruise) took on Alex Christlo, gentleman Jim Starkey and the venerable Gordon Lewis. Both sides won early ends for the score to be locked at 4 all after four. Team Lewis then grabbed a three on the next end, and when they snaffled another three shotter on the ninth, they led 11 – 6. As lead bowler, Alex was looping those black bowls of his onto the jack and making it hard for the opposition to set things up. The back half of the game saw neither side dominate, and it was team Lewis that came home victors at 20 – 13.

In a pairs game on rink 8, Peter ‘ambi’ Flight and Bob ‘chinsock’ Crowley, battled for bragging rights against Arnold ‘rosie’ Lenczuk and Terry Norwood. Both sides won early ends, but it was Arnold and Terry who led 5 – 1 after four. And when they cracked a five shotter on the seventh, the lead had extended to 10 – 3. Peter and Bob then won the next three ends, but the Arnie/Terry combo won five ends after that to lead solidly at 17 – 8. Far from done, Bob and Peter fired in some excellent bowls on the next three ends and had got within two at 15 – 17. Game on! Arnie and Terry then steadied, played some of their best bowls for the day, and came home victors at 21 – 15. There were some fine bowls sent down by all four in this cracking game!

Arnie won the battle of the red bowls over Peter!

In the 18-ender on rink 9, John Fleming, Bill ‘the’ Pope and Paul ‘ricochet’ Rubie tussled against Jim Larkin, Keith ‘foxy’ Edwards and midshipman Peter Watson. In a ripping start, Paul’s team led 5 – 1 after three ends and had the opposition on the back foot. However, when Peter’s boys snaffled a mouth-watering five shotter on the sixth end, they hit the lead and were on the front foot! And from there, they didn’t take a backward step . . . it was all forward. They dominated the match from that point, showed no mercy, ground out end after end, and what’s more, thoroughly enjoyed proceedings! The final score in favour of the Watson led trio was a comfortable 22 – 12!

93 years young and Keith is still putting them on the jack!

In another triples game, Bruce Yahl, Graham ‘gouty’ Hartnup and Joe O’Donnell (great to have you back on the green Joe) faced off against Ted ‘Mr Ed’ McPhee, Michael ‘butchers’ Hook and Don ‘gentleman’ Chapman. In a dominant opening to the game, Don’s team led 6 – 0 after four ends, and then 9 – 1 after seven. As lead, Ted was on the jack and Mike and Don were topping their opponents so the opposition was really under the pump. However, a stunning five shotter to Joe’s team got them to within a shot on the ninth and it seemed as though the ship had steadied. Not so unfortunately for Joe and his boys as Don’s team had much the better of the back half of the match. The final score was a sizzling 29 – 12 in favour of team Chapman.

In the game on the outside rink, Graham ‘dragon’ Denman, Neville ‘the’ Tanner and Richard Denman battled against Barry ‘smerfel’ Werfel, Col ‘bunnings’ Stone and Dave ‘pot black’ Charlesworth. And this turned out to be one of those games when one side just can’t seem to get any traction at all. Dave’s team was on the jack from the start and Richard’s boys just couldn’t get there at all. Col had an absolute blinder of a game and Barry and skipper Dave were not far behind him. Whenever one of the Denmans or Neville managed to be holding shot, it was soon taken away by the opposition. Maybe, it was just one of those days! The final score to Dave’s team was 38 – 8.